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Lee's Summit committee weighs sponsoring MoDOT 'sponsor highway' cleanup; city price quoted at about $43,000 annually
Summary
Staff presented Missouri Department of Transportation's sponsor-highway (Adopt-a-Highway) program and a one-segment annual cleaning quote of roughly $43,000 for monthly service. Committee members discussed partnering with businesses and the Chamber and asked staff to pursue outreach before a budget commitment.
The Lee's Summit Public Works Committee reviewed Missouri Department of Transportation's sponsor-highway program on May 12 and discussed whether the city should sponsor a roughly three- to four-mile segment of 50 Highway from I‑470 to the north 291 junction. "An annual cleaning of 50 Highway from essentially I‑470 to the eastern 291 North Junction ... just a once a month cleaning for an entire year would be about 44 or $43,000 a year," Michael Park, director of public works, told the committee.
Staff explained the program is commonly used by businesses and communities, with sponsors able to select frequency and length of segment; the quoted amount assumes one city-sponsored cleaning per month and includes lane-mile and ramp costs. MoDOT performs three cleanings annually as part of its contracted work, so some months could see multiple cleanings when both parties operate. Staff said contractors performing sponsor work provide pickup reports and install recognition signs; the sign installation cited by staff would generally cost under $1,000.
Committee members favored first pursuing business and Chamber outreach rather than immediate city sponsorship. Council Member Funk and others suggested working with the Lee's Summit Economic Development Council or Chamber of Commerce to recruit private sponsors or conduct a "Beautify Lee's Summit" campaign; staff said MoDOT does not negotiate the sponsor contractor's price but does offer a government discount in the online quote portal. "Some of the feedback I've heard is maybe before we start investing in the city sponsor, we work through the chamber and try to do some more community outreach and awareness," Park summarized.
No formal vote or financial commitment was made. Staff said it would relay the committee's feedback to City Manager Dunning and the full council and that outreach to businesses could be pursued without immediate city sponsorship. Park also noted a possible alternative: service exchanges with MoDOT (reciprocal maintenance) remain on the table but are different from the sponsor program and are negotiated separately.
Committee members also discussed targeting other corridors (for example, 291) and whether grants exist for litter cleanup; staff said there are no specific "trash grants" identified and that the sponsor program is contractor-based rather than a volunteer pickup model. The committee asked staff to explore business outreach and return with options for council consideration.
